🌱 Violent Cannabis Dispensary Robbery + Heatwave State Of Emergency

Hey, it's Last Thursday, Portland! Another day dedicated to art, music and fun. But that's just what we do here in the PDX. Here's what's happening today.

First, today's weather:

You don't need me to tell you the weather. Sunny sun-sun and a high of 99.

Here are the top five stories in Portland today:

1. While recreational cannabis is legal here in Oregon, it's still illegal at a federal level and that causes all sorts of problems. Congress limits cannabis sellers’ ability to accept credit cards, making dispensaries essentially cash only businesses. That can be an attractive lure to robbers. Robberies of all types have been up in Portland the past three years, but the cannabis industry has been hit particularly hard. Earlier this month, the St. Johns cannabis shop Best Buds suffered a robbery so violent that it, again, sent shockwaves through the industry. Thieves pistol-whipped one employee and shot at another as he emerged from the restroom with his hands up. (Willamette Week)
2. It's not just the heat that's making life hard here in Portland, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has issued an air quality alert. The problem is elevated levels of ozone pollution or smog. The ODEQ issued the alert Tuesday saying levels are unhealthy for sensitive groups, including children, people age 65 and older, people who are pregnant, and people with heart disease or respiratory conditions. The alert will be in effect until Saturday night. (OPB)
3. Take care of your trees. This week’s heatwave is adding strain to an already stressed tree canopy in Portland. Portland Parks and Recreation continues to step up its program of proactive tree maintenance, funded by the 2020 Parks Levy, but the extreme weather has made its list of reactive tree maintenance projects longer with each event. Portland Parks and Recreation’s communication team said the department is in heat emergency response due to the heat wave. Several types of trees in the city’s tree canopy are known to shed branches during the extreme heat. (KOIN.com)
4. I like bringing you the news, but it's all about the heat right now. And for good reason, Governor Kate Brown has declared a state of emergency in 25 Oregon counties due to forecasted high temperatures. Much of the Pacific Northwest will be under an excessive heat warning this week, with temperatures forecasted to be in the triple-digits. There will be little or no cooling overnight. The governor’s office said high temperatures may impact critical infrastructure, causing utility outages and transportation disruptions. (KPTV)
5. What have we come to? I know that we're faced with rising crime, but dognapping? That's just low. Police said on Sunday night, a dog was taken from a car as the owner was inside a business for 30 minutes. When the owner returned to their car they found their dog gone and a phone number. The person who took the dog refused to return it despite multiple requests by the owner and law enforcement. The next day, police said the owner was contacted and the person on the phone said they would return the dog for $100. Luckily, the dog has been returned and the dognapper arrested. (KATU)

Today in Portland:

• It's the Cool Kids Patio Show at Doug Fir. Tonight's comedians are Becky Braunstein, Dan Weber, Bryan Bixby and Neeraj Srinivasan. And it's totally free, so you'll have more money to spend on their great summer cocktails! Showtime is 6 p.m.
• There's a Last Thursday Art Opening at the Goodfoot, featuring works by Joel Barber, Kyle Gossman and N.O. Bonzo. All art is available for purchase and will hang throughout August for your enjoyment. Free! Doors open at 5 p.m.
• For even more laughs here in Portland come to The Get Down in SE Portland for Giggles Gone Wild. Giggles Gone Wild is hosted by Hewitt Pagenstecher, Imani Denae and Rachelle Cochran and includes some of the region's best comedians. Tonight's headliner is Ben Harkins. Showtime is 7:30 p.m.
• Tonight is the last Thursday in July and that means Last Thursday on Alberta Street! The street will be shut down for art gallery opening parties, street performances, live music and other events, local arts and crafts vendors, food and fun. Go on over and check it out. 4 - 9 p.m.
• Hey, Shakespeare fans, get yourselves over to Cully Park for the Original Practice Shakespeare Festival's rendition of The Tempest. Shipwreck, romance, treason, revenge, spirits, clowns, song and dance create a perfect storm of fantasy. Showtime is 7 p.m.

From my notebook:

• If you're thinking that this heat calls for an ice-cold beer, then you're in luck. The Oregon Brewers Festival, the state’s longest-running beer festival and historically the largest on the West Coast, returns today for a three-day run after skipping the previous two years because of the pandemic. (The Oregonian)
• I think this counts as one of those "only in Portland" type things. The Portlandia Mermaid Parade and Festival will be happening on Saturday along the Portland Waterfront. It is a shellabration of Queer merfolk in Portland, and the efforts being made to cultivate equity, inclusion and human rights for LGBTQ+ communities. The Portlandia Mermaid Parade stands together and in alliance for trans rights, visibility and compassion. I guess that's one way to beat the heat. (Portland Mermaid Parade)
• If you haven't checked out Shady Pines Radio yet, you really should. They're a Portland-based community radio station that was formed during the pandemic. Its focus is on presenting and promoting local musicians, artists and poets. It recently had a festival in Oregon City to celebrate its tw0 years of existence. (YouTube)
• A group called the Black Swimming Initiative will hold a free swim class at Broughton Beach in Portland this weekend. The event is open to everyone, but it was created to be a welcoming environment for Black families to develop swim skills. Nearly 70% of Black children have no to low swimming skills, according to the group, and Black children between ages 10-14 drown at higher rates than white children. (KGW)
• Did you know that Portland is haunted? Yep, ghosts galore call the Rose City home. They're at the White Eagle in North Portland and at Old Town Pizza downtown. Don't even get me started on the cemeteries around here. (Travel Portland)
• Not too far from Portland, on the Oregon coast, is the town of Astoria. Anyone who was a kid during the 80s knows that its claim to fame is the movie "The Goonies." Central to the plot was a sunken pirate ship filled with gold. Well, there might not be any gold, but archaeologists have discovered remnants of a centuries-old shipwreck that they believe inspired the movie "The Goonies." A team of volunteers unearthed over 20 pieces of wood in a cave off the Oregon coast in June. It turned out to be wreckage from a Spanish galleon called the Santo Cristo de Burgos, also known as the Beeswax Wreck. (CNN)

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That's your day, my friends. Join me again tomorrow, so I can tell you once more of what's going on in Portland. Until then, stay cool. The animals at the Oregon Zoo have some suggestions on how to beat the heat.

— Dominic Anaya

About me: Doctor, educator and now a writer/artist, I'm just chillin' in Portland, OR with my wife, our ferrets, our chickens and our goats.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Portland Daily? Contact me at portland@patch.com